Stoppering device for bottles and the like.



L. B. JONES & H. G. BRAUN. STOPPERING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE.

AYPLIOATION FILED JUNE 12, 1908.

926,57 1. Patented June 29, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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STOPPERING DEVIGE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE.

al y/assa I APPLIOATION TILED JUNE 12, 190B.

Patented June 29, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE BLEW JONES AND HENRY CHARLES BRAUN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND,ASSIGNORS TO N. It. CAPSULE SYNDICATE LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

STOPPERING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LAWRENCE BLEw JoNns and HENRY CHARLES BRAUN,subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing,respectively, at Cornhill, in the city of London, England, and KingsCross, in the county of London, England, have invented ImprovementsRelating to Stoppering Devices for Bottles and the Like, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to stoppering devices which are ada ted to reventor render di'lficult the fraudu ent refi ing of bottles or the like andwherein a non-re-usable capsule or sleeve is fixed tightly around theneck of the bottle or the like so as to prevent the removal of thestoppering device or to protect a non-return valve within the neck ofthe bottle or the like from being tampered with, the arrangement beingsuch that the stoppering device cannot be removed or the valve got atwithout the capsule or sleeve being damaged and an indication thus giventhat the device has been tampered with.

The accompanying drawings illustrate stoppering devices according to thepresent invention in various constructional forms.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a bottle neck fitted with animproved stop ering device; Fig. 2 shows the capsule or s eeve; Fig. 3is an underside view of a disk which rests on the bottle neck. Fig. 4 isa vertical section of a modified construction; Fig. 5 is a plan of thedisk forming part thereof; F ig. (i is a section of the capsule orsleeve employed in this modification. Fig. 7 is a section of a modifiedconstruction, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy whenliquid is being poured from the bottle. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detailviews illustrating modified parts. Fig. 11 is a similar view to Fig. 1of a further modification and Fig. 12 is a detail view.

In the construction shown in vertical sec tion in Fig. 1, the top orhead of the ca sule or sleeve (2 which is shown separate y in Fig. 2 inits original form, "L. c., before application to the bottle neck, isformed with a central aperture b of considerable size and there isfitted on or in the mouth of the bottle c or the like (hereinafterreferred to as a bottle) a disk or plate cl of porcelain or othersuitable material through which are formed Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed. June 12, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 438,252.

perforations e to permit the outflow of liquid and. the inflow of air;Fig. 3 is an underside view of the disk or plate (I from which it willbe seen that the perforations c are in the form of curved slots. Thedisk or plate is held in position or prevented from being removed by thecapsule or sleeve (L which in the example under notice is made ofcapsule metal internally coated with adhesive cement and compressedtightly in place around the bottle neck by means of a capsuling machineor device.

The disk or plate d is formed on its upper surface with an annularprojection or rimf which is located between the edge of the disk orplate (Z and the perforations c and serves to enable pouring to be moreconveniently effected without contact with the capsule or sleeve andalso as a seat for a cover plate or head carried by the outer end of ascrewed stem h which passes through a central threaded aperture in thedisk or plate dand which, when screwed home, serves to retain the valvei within the bottle neck closed on the seat formed by a tubular corkplug. This cover plate or head g, which may be formed with a millededge, as shown, may have a cork or similar face :3 to seat upon theannular projection or rim f and effectively exclude dust and even airand act as an additional security against loss of liquid contents. Thatportion of the disk or plate (Z that is outside the annular projectionor rim f is or may be formed with a downwardly inclined or curvedsurface d extending outward from the annular projection and notched orcorrugated at (Z so that the capsule or sleeve when ap lied engagestherewith. and securely holils same in position.

Conveniently, the cover plate or head is of less diameter than theaperture 7) in'the top of the capsule or sleeve so that the latter maybe Iput in position when the other parts are in p ace.

To centralize the valve i as regards the passage through its seat 7',the valve, which usually has a downwardly extending tapering stem, asshown, is formed with a central tapering recess i into which thetapering end of the stem it extends, the stem being sui'liciently longthat it does not, even when drawn back to the full extent, completelyleave the recess, so that, in pouring, the

valve will leave its seat but will be kept central by the stem 72 theliquid flowing past it to the perforations e.

i In order te prevent the stem 71 being withdrawn from the disk or plate(I, it is'fornied with an annular groove and a split washer Z is sprunginto the said groove after the stem has been passed through the disk orplate (Z. The washer Z is usually about the same size as the valve so asto offer obstruction to wires or the like which may be inserted throughthe perforations in attempting to hold the valve open to enablefraudulently refilling the bottle to be effected.

It is preferred to make the upper portion, including the inwardlyextending flange portion (1*, of the capsule or sleeve thicker than theremaining portion particularly when made of capsule or like metal.

In the construction shown in 4, the disk or plate (l; instead of beingformed with an inclined or curved surface has a horizontal outwardlyprojecting portion or flange (1 the edge of which is formed with flatsor facets as shown in plan in Fig. 5 which are engaged by the capsule orsleeve. In this example, tapering recess is made in the stem It and thevalve 7' is formed with an upwardly extending tapering projection 2'extending thereinto. This is an advantageous construction as it involvesan increase in the weight of the valve "6, which is usually of porcelainor the like, and a decrease in the weight of the stem h which is usuallyof metal. The cover plate or head 9 is in this example shown formed witha transverse finger piece instead of a milled edge.

Fig. 6 shows in section the capsule or sleeve adapted to engage with thehorizontally projecting portion or flange of the disk or plate (Z.

Fig. 7 shows a construction similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with theparts in the position they assume when pouring.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a modified con struction of stem h and diskor plate d. The stem, Fig. 8, instead of being screw-threaded is formedwith lateral lugs or pins 7L1 capable of passing through correspondingrecesses d in the disk or plate d, Figs. 9 and 10, which is formed onits under side with cam paths (Z for the lugs or pins, which, when thestem is turned, draw it inward, its cover plate or head 9 then making atight joint with the annular projection f.

In some cases, the non-return valve i may be dispensed with, for examplein the case of bottles for containing sauce which would damage thebottle labels if the bottles were immersed in the sauce. Fig. 11illustrates such an arrangement. The stem 71 has an enlarged washer Z atits lower end, which washer may rest on a cork or other seating withinthe bottle neck when the stem is screwed home. The disk or plate (1 andcover plate or head g form a stoppering de vice which cannot be removedwithout damaging the capsule or sleeve a and which when held in placethereby offers an. obstruction which renders refilling of the bottlevery difl icult, if not practically impossible.

The edge of the disk or plate (Z is notched at d (see also Fig. 12) andthe capsule or sleeve (1. used may be of celluloid which can besoftenedby hot water and then made to conform to the bottle neck and engage thedisk or plate (Z by pressure.

Fig. 13 illustrates in central vertical section a modified constructionin which the stem 71. is made in two parts, the lower part being ofgreater diameter than in the previously described arrangements and witha recess ."r in its upper end into which the upper part, which is formedin one with the cover plate or head 9 is inserted and secured by cement;this construction enables both parts of the stem 71 and the cover plateor head g, as well as the disk or plate cl, to be readily made ofnoi'i-metallic material such as porcelain. In this example, the capsuleo is shown as entirely covering the stoppering device, the upper portionof the capsule a, above where it engages the disk or plate (Z having tobe cut off before the cover plate or head 5/ can be manipulated. Tofacilitate this, the capsule is not cemented above where it is to be cutand it may, if desired, be weakened by perforations at the place whereseverance is to occur.

The other arrangements may also be entirely covered by their capsules asjust described, if preferred.

The capsules or sleeves may be of any suitable material, for examplecapsule metal, tin or tin alloy or celluloid, the nature of which issuch that it can be made to conform closely to the neck of the bottle orthe like.

YVhat we claim is:-

1. In a bottle stoppering device of the kind referred to, thecombination of a disk adapted to rest upon the neck of the bottle, saiddisk being formed with liquid outlet apertures and air inlet apertures,an annular rim extending upwardly from said disk around said apertures,an axially movable stem ex tending through but irremovable from saiddisk, a cover plate carried by said stem and adapted to become seated onsaid rim, and a sleeve adapted to be firmly attached to the exterior ofthe bottle neck to secure said disk thereto.

2. In a bottle stoppering device of the kind referred to, thecombination of a disk adapted to rest upon the neck of the bottle, saiddisk being formed with liquid outlet apertures and air inlet apertures,an annular rim extending upwardly from said disk around said apertures,a non-return valve for said bottle neck, an axially movablevalve-controlling stem extending through but irremovable from said disk,a cover plate carried by said stem and adapted to become seated on saidrim, and a sleeve adapted to be firmly attached to the exterior of thebottle neck to secure said disk thereto.

3. In a bottle stoppering device of the kind referred to, thecombination of a disk adapted to rest upon the neck of the bottle, saiddisk being formed with liquid outlet apertures and air inlet apertures,an annular rim extending upwardly from said disk around said apertures,an axially movable stem extending through but irremovable from saiddisk, a cover plate carried by said stem and adapted to become seated onsaid rim, and a sleeve adapted to be firmly attached to the exterior ofthe bottle neck to secure said disk thereto, by engagement of the upperpart of said sleeve with the outer part of the disk, the said disk beingformed with circumlerential projections that are engaged by the sleeve.

4. In a bottle stoppering device of the kind referred to, thecombination of a disk adapted to rest upon the neck of the bottle, saiddisk being formed with liquid outlet apertures and air inlet apertures,an annular rim extending upwardly from said disk around said apertures,an axially movable stem extending through but irremovable from saiddisk, a cover plate carried by said stem and adapted to become seated onsaid rim, and a sleeve adapted to be firmly attached to the exterior ofthe bottle neck to secure said disk thereto, the said stem being formedin two parts of incorrodible material permanently connected together.

5. In a bottle stoppering device of the kind referred to, thecombination of a disk adapted to rest upon the neck of the bottle, saiddisk being formed with liquid outlet apertures and air inlet apertures,an annular rim extending upwardly from said disk around said apertures,a non-return valve for said bottle neck, an axially movablevalve-controlling stem extending through but irremovable from said disk,a cover plate carried by said stem and adapted to become seated on saidrim, a lateral projection at the inner end of said stem of largerdiameter than the valve, and a sleeve adapted to be firmly attached tothe exterior of the bottle neck to secure said disk thereto.

Signed at London, England, this first day of June, 1908.

LAVVRENUE BLEl/V JONES. HENRY CHARLES BEAUN. Witnesses H. D. Lawson. T.L. RAND.

